Choosing a method that works for you. BIRTH There are many different types of birth control available today. All of the methods below CONTROL can help prevent pregnancy.

HOW WELL DOES IT PRESCRIP- TYPE OF CONTRACEPTIVE HOW DO I USE IT? WORK? TION? “Not right now” or “no vaginal sex” is the only Abstinence guaranteed way to not get pregnant. 100% No Abstinence involves a lot of self-control and Not having sex people may practice it for different reasons.

IUD/IUS A small, t-shaped device that gets inserted into the uterus by a healthcare provider. It’s 99.2 - 99.9% Mirena, Skyla Yes Lilletta, Kyleena invisible, easy and offers between 3 & 10 No STI protection years of pregnancy protection. Paragard A soft, flexible rod that is inserted under Implant the skin of the inner arm. Invisible, easy 99.8 - 99.8% Yes and very effective. Gives 3 years of No STI protection Nexplanon pregnancy prevention.

A procedure that closes the fallopian tubes 95.5 - 99.9% Yes Sterilization in women and vas deferens in men. No STI protection

A shot given by a health care provider that The Shot offers pregnancy protection for up to 3 94 - 99.7% Yes months. Private and a good method for those No STI protection Depo-Provera who can’t take estrogen.

Birth Control An easy to swallow pill taken once a day 91 - 99.7% at the same time of the day. Can have Yes Pills positive side effects. No STI protection

A small, bendable ring that is inserted into Vaginal Ring the vagina. Leave it in place for 3 weeks and 91 - 99.7% Yes take it out on the 4th week. It is easy to use, No STI protection NuvaRing works like the pill and protects for 1 month.

The Patch A small, beige piece of plastic that looks like 91 - 99.7% a Band-Aid. Easy to use, works like the pill Yes Xulane and you only have to change it once a week. No STI protection

Condoms slip over the penis to prevent 82 - 98% pregnancy and STIs by keeping sperm Some STI No Condom inside the condom. There are also female condoms that go inside the vagina. protection

Withdrawal The withdrawal method refers to pulling the 78 - 96% penis out of the vagina prior to ejaculation to No “Pulling Out” prevent pregnancy. No STI protection Spermicide refers to a gel, cream, film, foam, or suppository that deliver chemicals to 72-82% No Spermicide stop sperm from moving. It is inserted into No STI protection the vagina before sexual contact. Emergency A single pill taken within 72 hours after 89% unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. (within 24 hours) No Contraception The sooner it is taken, the more effective it is. No STI protection How Does Pregnancy Happen?

For a baby to be made there needs to be an egg and a sperm.  Men begin making sperm in the testes when they start puberty (about age 13) and they continue to make sperm for their entire lives. Sperm and other fluids from the Seminal Vesicles and Cowper’s Gland mix together to make semen.

Male Reproductive System  Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have (about 400,000 at the beginning of puberty). An egg is released from an ovary about once a month, between periods, this is called ovulation. Once the egg is released it will live for 24-48 hours and will trav- el through the fallopian tubes and into the uterus.

 If a male ejaculates into a female without a barrier method (like a condom) then the sperm will enter the vagina and travel through the cervix, into the uterus, and the fallo- pian tubes. Sperm can live in the female’s body for 5 to 7 days!

 Women’s menstrual cycles vary from 21-45 days. Some women have regular cycles after about 2 years of menstruating and many women’s cycles vary their entire lives. A woman can ovulate (release an egg) on a different day in her cycle each month, espe- cially if her periods vary in number of days. That means there is no safe time to have unprotected sex if someone does not want to get pregnant or cause a pregnancy!

 If sperm are in the female’s uterus or fallopian tubes while the egg is alive then there is a possibility for the sperm to fertilize the egg.

 If fertilization occurs, then the fertilized egg will implant into the wall of the uterus and begin to develop into a baby.

 If fertilization does not occur, then the egg will break down and the wall of the uterus will shed and the female will menstruate (have a period).

Common Birth Control Myths

Hormonal birth control methods will make you gain weight. X Studies have consistently shown no significant weight gain with the use of hormonal birth control methods, with the exception of Depo Provera (the shot). Depo is associated with a weight gain of 3-5 lbs., mostly due to an in- creased appetite.

Being on birth control for too long messes with your fertility. X Taking birth control for a long period of time will not lessen your chance of getting pregnant after you stop tak- ing it. After stopping birth control, your body’s hormone go back to normal very quickly, and it is possible to get pregnant right away.

Plan B is the same thing as the abortion pill. X Emergency contraception, or Plan B, is not the same thing as the abortion pill. Emergency contraception will not harm a pregnancy if it has already occurred.

As soon as you start taking the pill or using the patch you are good to go. X It actually takes a little time for the pill or the patch to get the hormone levels up in your system. Talk to your health care provider about when these methods will start being effective at preventing pregnancy, and use a back up method, like a condom, until then.

Questions? Contact The Downtown Health Center by calling (541) 322-7499 facebook.com/deschutes.downtownhealthcenter To request this information in an alternate format, please call (541) 617-4747 or send email to [email protected]